free hand sharpening

[Jeff Clark]

In terms of the time and skill it takes, this is simpler and quicker than changing the oil in your car. This was one of the first skills to master in my old Cub Scout handbook. It was assumed that any 9 year old could do this. There is great satisfaction and practical advantage to being able to sharpen almost anything with almost any tool. A flat hone is just a special flat rock. Once you get the idea of how to use one you can generalize this knowledge to be able to use anything handy as a sharpening tool. For example you might use the edge of a toilet tank or sandpaper to restore your knife edge while you are on a trip.

I would find a basic two-sided aluminum oxide hone that was 8 to 12 inches long. Practice on short-bladed kitchen knives at first. These don't take long to sharpen and give you quick feedback as to whether you are doing it right.